NAIROBI, Kenya, December 19 – Suspended Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials have called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and clean up domestic football.
Former Vice Chairman, Sammy Shollei, also urged the State to set up a commission to oversee reconciliation of suspended officials and FKF boss Sam Nyamweya.
Addressing media briefing in Nairobi on Thursday, Shollei who was sent packing alongside Nairobi branch boss, Dan Shikanda and his counterpart from Coast Hussein Terry, called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to speed up investigations into allegations of financial impropriety they levelled against sitting FKF officials.
“Mr President, you have a chance to woo millions of football supporters who are passionate about this sport and in tandem with your manifesto of creating employment through sports.
“This might not happen if you are working with a team that misinforms you on your face about bidding for the 2019 African Nations Cup when the (bidding) process is already time barred,” Shollei, who was flanked by Terry, stressed.
On his suspension, he added; “I consulted FIFA on how I should approach the issue, and they told me to draft a letter to FKF boss and copy it to them.
“I’m the bona fide vice president of FKF because I was elected by football lovers two years ago. I call upon the president who promised to support football in our country to hear our plea and put the federation in order.”
The pair urged the anti-graft body to expedite the probe into the Sh 21,544,982.04 (USD 250,000) they claimed was misappropriated from Fifa grants related to 2011 whilst providing copies of the said allocations to the press.
“Every one is complaining about mismanagement of public funds, after the Annual General Meeting where my suspension was being discussed, we realized that the financial statement that was released was not tallying with the amount that the federation received from FIFA.
“I was joined by Terry, Shikanda, Lordvick Aduda who was the then Secretary General and Nyanza NEC member Tom Alila and presented the case to the Anti Corruption whom we believe will take action after their investigations.”
Reports in local media on Wednesday alleged that the Head of State had threatened to jail Nyamweya and FKF officials if they did not end mismanagement of the sport.
It came after President Uhuru held a private session with Harambee Stars players at State House, Nairobi after hosting them for winning this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.
However, the story has not been independently collaborated and when contacted, FKF officials including Nyamweya were said to be in a meeting.